Historical Research Final Paper – This paper will ask you to select any film of your choice within the time frame. You will conduct research on its production, distribution, exhibition, and/or reception, which will require you to use both primary and secondary sources. Based on this research, you will situate your film within one of the four broad categories of historical inquiry that we will discuss this semester: aesthetic, industrial, technological, or sociopolitical. Finally, you will construct an argument that illustrates how your chosen film is historically important within the category you’ve chosen.
Types of Historical Sources You Should Find
You are required to find two primary sources and one secondary source about your film overall. Of those three, you must find:
PRIMARY – A Review of Your Film – This is an evaluation of the movie written at the time of its release by a professional film critic.
PRIMARY – An Article about the Film – This is a piece of journalism whose purpose is not to evaluate/review the film but to report on some aspect of its film’s production, distribution, and/or exhibition. This can include a story about the making of the film; an interview with the director, cast, crew, etc.; a report on the film’s public reception, such as its box office receipts or reactions from prominent organizations, etc.
SECONDARY – This is a piece of historical scholarship written after your film’s release that offers historical context or analysis on the film.
